Ingredients
Rice porridge
- 200 gpudding rice or short-grain rice
- 200 mlwater
- 1 litrewhole milk
- 1vanilla pod
- a pinch of salt
To fold in
- 150 gblanched almonds
- 500 mldouble cream, very cold
- 80 gsugar
- 1 tbspsherry or almond liqueur, optional
The whole almond
- 1whole blanched almond, hidden
Cherry sauce
- 500 gsour cherries in syrup
- 100 gsugar
- 2 tbspcornflour
- 1cinnamon stick
- 1 tbspalmond liqueur
To serve
- the mandelgave, almond present
Directions
- Start with risengrød, the rice porridge, and make it the day before. Boil the rice in the water for 2 minutes, then add the milk, vanilla pod and salt. Starting the rice in water first is the Danish method and it stops the milk catching in the early stage.
- Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring often. Stir it regularly and scrape the base, because milk and rice together catch and scorch within seconds. Keep the heat as low as it will go, and use a heavy pan. It is ready when the rice is completely soft and the porridge is thick.
- Cook the rice fully soft. Any bite left in the grain is unpleasant in a cold dessert, and it will not soften once it is chilled. Chill it for at least four hours, or overnight.
- Chop them coarsely rather than finely, because the texture against the soft rice is the point. Blanch them yourself by pouring boiling water over and slipping the skins off, which tastes far better than ready-blanched.
- Stir the chopped almonds and sugar through the cold porridge, along with the sherry if using. Now whip the very cold cream to soft peaks. Whip it to soft peaks only. Over-whipped cream makes the dessert stiff and grainy rather than light. Fold the cream into the rice mixture in three additions, gently.
- Fold rather than stir, and stop as soon as it is combined, because the lightness is what turns porridge into risalamande. Chill for at least two more hours. For the sauce, simmer the cherries with the sugar and cinnamon, then thicken with cornflour slaked in cold water.
- Add the liqueur off the heat and let the sauce cool to warm. Warm cherry sauce over cold risalamande is the traditional contrast, and it is served that way rather than both cold. Serve it cold in bowls with the warm cherry sauce poured over.
Technique
- Risengrød on its own, eaten hot with butter, cinnamon and sugar, is the Danish lunch of Christmas Eve day.
- The mandelgave is traditionally a marzipan pig or a small wrapped gift.
- It keeps two days refrigerated, though the cream slackens.
Substitutions
- Ready-made risengrød, sold in Denmark through December.
- Tinned sour cherries in syrup for the sauce.
Variations
- Riskrem, the Norwegian version.
- With raspberry or redcurrant sauce.
- Made with a little marzipan folded through.
History
Whipped cream and chopped almonds stretched costly rice; whoever finds the single whole almond hidden in the bowl wins the almond present.
Frequently asked questions
What is Risalamande?
Risalamande is a dessert from Denmark: cold rice pudding with almonds and cherry sauce, eaten at Christmas. Whipped cream and chopped almonds stretched costly rice; whoever finds the single whole almond hidden in the bowl wins the almond present.
How long does Risalamande take to make?
Risalamande takes 20 min plus 4 hr chilling of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Risalamande?
Yes, within limits. Ready-made risengrød, sold in Denmark through December. Tinned sour cherries in syrup for the sauce.
What is the most important thing to get right in Risalamande?
Chop them coarsely rather than finely, because the texture against the soft rice is the point. Blanch them yourself by pouring boiling water over and slipping the skins off, which tastes far better than ready-blanched.
